Ingredients:
Cake
1 cup (250 mL) cake flour
1 cup (250 mL) pecan meal
1 tsp (5 mL) baking powder
12 egg whites – 1 ½ cup (360 mL) liquid egg whites
1 tsp (5 mL) cream of tartar
Pinch salt*
1 ⅓ cup (325 mL) granulated sugar
1 tsp (5 mL) vanilla extract
Cream Frosting
2 cups (500 mL) whipping cream (35%)
3 Tbsp (45 mL) icing sugar
1 tsp (5 mL) vanilla extract
Caramel Sauce
½ cup (125 mL) butter
1 ½ cup (375 mL) brown sugar
½ cup (125 mL) whipping cream (35%)
1 tsp (5 mL) vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 350⁰F (180⁰C). Line the bottom of a 10” angel food cake pan with parchment paper, set aside. Do not grease the pan.
Whisk together the flour, pecan meal and baking powder; set aside.
Separate egg whites into the bowl of a stand mixer or large mixing bowl. Add cream of tartar and salt to the egg whites, use a whisk attachment on low (or use electric beater) until combined. Turn speed up to high, beat until stiff peaks form. Turn speed down to medium, and slowly add the sugar, 1/3 cup (80 mL) at a time, until combined. Turn to low speed, add vanilla, mix just until combined.
Remove the bowl from the stand mixer and fold in the flour mixture with a spatula. Add about 1 cup (250 mL) at a time just until combined. Be gentle to ensure the eggs do not deflate.
Gently spoon mixture into pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
IMPORTANT: When finished cooking, turn the cake upside down onto a cooling rack, leaving it in the pan, and allow to cool for about an hour.
To remove from pan, carefully run a sharp knife along the edges of the cake and pan. Slice cake into 3 equally thick layers.
Cream Frosting:
Whisk or beat whipping cream together with the icing sugar and vanilla until very thick. Spread in between the 3 layers, stacking as you go and finishing with icing the top and sides of the torte. Chill for at least two hours. Use any remaining whipping cream to serve on individual slices.
Caramel Sauce:
Melt butter in a medium-size saucepan. Add brown sugar and whipping cream, whisking until smooth. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Boil for 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla and allow to cool.
To serve, warm the sauce, drizzle over whole torte. Save some sauce to drizzle over individual slices.
Notes:
Cake Flour Substitute – for every one cup of all-purpose flour, replace 2 Tbsp (30 mL) flour with 2 Tbsp (30mL) of cornstarch
Pecan Meal – in a food processor, pulse 1 cup (250 mL) whole pecans until finely chopped. Note: this will not look like an almond flour. It remains a bit chunkier. Be careful not to pulse too long or it will become pecan butter. Once pulsed, sift with a colander to remove large pieces
Makes: 12 slices
Nutrient analysis one slice of torte
Calories: 528
Protein: 7 g
Total Fat: 31 g
Fibre: 1 g